GUANGZHOU, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Eight people were killed and ten others were hospitalized by a gas leak at an iron works in south China's Guangdong Province, local authorities said Monday.

The leak happened around 3 a.m. at Songshan iron foundry in Shaoguan City. Eight people died immediately and the other ten are now stable in hospital, according to the city government.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.